The World’s Greatest is Dead - Chapter 337

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Heavenly Supreme Has Died – Episode 337
A blade so worn it seemed unusable as a sword any longer.
Yoo Yeon gripped it firmly, her gaze fixed forward.
Bangseong-yeon. He stared directly at her.
“Let’s fight.”
He appeared suddenly and issued the challenge without warning. What? My thoughts scattered in confusion. I couldn’t even comprehend what was happening.
“….”
Yoo Yeon regarded Bangseong-yeon with bewilderment, but he simply waited for her response after speaking.
Fight? Now?
“….”
Yoo Yeon looked at Bangseong-yeon, then glanced behind her. It was where her master lay.
He wanted her to fight in this place? She shook her head.
She was signaling her refusal.
“Running away?”
“….”
Rigid.
His following words froze her in place.
“You speak grand words about being the Heavenly Supreme’s Disciple and all that. Yet in actual combat, you can’t even kill a man or protect anyone. Now you’re trying to run away?”
“….”
A sharp sting. Her pride was visibly wounded. Why would he say such things? Yoo Yeon’s eyes turned fierce.
Yet even witnessing this, Bangseong-yeon’s demeanor remained unchanged.
“The Sect Leader would surely be pleased seeing you like this.”
“….”
Crunch. Yoo Yeon gripped her sword. Her aura erupted unbidden.
An old blade. Holding it tight, she pointed its tip at Bangseong-yeon.
In that instant.
Shhhhiiiing–!!!
Flower petals descended from the sky, swirling gently around her as their focal point.

* * *
‘Remarkable.’
I swallowed dryly at the sight before me.
‘Extraordinary.’
How could I describe it? Facing Yoo Yeon across from me felt like standing before an vast expanse of nature. She’d merely drawn her sword.
She was beautiful, yet something about her seemed utterly naive. A single blade, and everything had transformed.
It was beautiful. The sword dance Yoo Yeon performed in the dead of night was certainly that. It was closer to a dance than swordplay, and the graceful movements flowing across her gentle steps were exquisite beyond measure.
‘Lethal.’
But with that blade’s edge directed at me, my perception shifted entirely.
‘Is this why everyone was startled?’
It was the atmosphere.
Or perhaps her presence itself.
The Yoo Yeon standing before me as an opponent was not the naive girl I’d known.
‘A beast.’
My hair stood on end. Intense. Overwhelmingly intense.
Yoo Yeon faced me with a lethal, commanding presence.
Whoosh.
A faint floral scent permeated the subtly shifting air. It wasn’t truly a flower’s fragrance. This was the aroma of inner energy I’d grown accustomed to smelling since arriving at Hwasan.
‘…Hwasan’s divine technique.’
The Plum Blossom Sword Art—embodying falling plum petals and the fully unfolded natural world.
It was a characteristic of the inner cultivation technique that enabled its use.
[What a bold one you are.]
Seongheon spoke from behind me, his tone incredulous.
[Did you really think you could sell me out?]
Jang Moonin wouldn’t want that. Seongheon spoke as though my words had provoked Yoo Yeon, and he’d caught on.
I chuckled softly.
‘What else could I do?’
If this was what it took to make things work, I could use anything.
[Why did you challenge that child to a fight in the first place?]
Seongheon seemed unable to comprehend why I’d provoked Yoo Yeon. Of course—I wasn’t some brawler picking fights for no reason.
‘I have my circumstances too.’
The reason was the sword she held. My purpose was to extract the karmic debt embedded within it.
If I took an object left behind by a ghost and carried it away, that karmic debt would accumulate upon me.
Had I discovered it by chance, it would be different. But having received information from the ghost and brought it here—that became a problem.
No matter how worn that blade was, it carried considerable narrative weight.
‘The master who wielded this sword was no ordinary person, so it’s only natural.’
The sect leader of Hwasan and a hero of the Celestial Demon.
An object used by such a legendary figure would surely carry narrative significance. And the narrative of such a great being acts as karmic debt upon those who lack his permission.
That unpermitted person is me.
The existence who extracted miracles from one whose fate was twisted and who perished.
The world despised such people far too much.
It would even curse those who wore ill-fitting garments with tremendous misfortune.
‘That’s why.’
If I accepted that sword as is, karma would accumulate in my soul and become a curse. I had to find a way. Fortunately, there was a method.
‘It’s a loophole, though….’
That’s why I placed the sword in Yoo Yeon’s hands.
The caster and the connection exist, and before I could claim ownership of that sword, I immediately entrusted it to the opponent and had them wield it.
‘There will be some repercussions since I’ve already touched it.’
I weave narrative upon narrative.
The stronger Yoo Yeon’s presence, the more the karma clinging to that sword would be obscured.
‘…Not bad.’
The conditions are acceptable. Yoo Yeon was born with tremendous talent, and she was both the disciple of the original owner, Seongheon, and.
‘The Celestial Demon’s daughter.’
The true bloodline of the deceased Celestial Demon, and because of that, she even possesses the Heavenly Killing Star.
An uncommon narrative with a high rank by my assessment. At this level.
‘It should be concealed.’
It’s a feasible number if I prepare it beforehand.
So I had to make her use her power to the fullest extent.
‘Make her wield the sword as excellently as possible.’
Imbue it with emotion.
That was my way of escaping the karma of that sword.
Cover narrative with narrative.
If I became the one transmitting it, it was something I had to do.
‘…Even if that weren’t the case.’
Shhhhh….
Watching Yoo Yeon raise her energy, I too suppress my inner nature. More precisely, I sensed Seongheon with closed eyes standing behind her.
‘It seems like I should do it anyway.’
Unnecessary meddling. Or perhaps unwanted interest.
I couldn’t quite explain the reason. But it felt necessary.
For that child, not for me.
Shrieeeeek—!!!
“…!”
The sword is grasped at Wol-an. Light already floods my vision without me even casting anything.
Wol Seon-geom.
The blade’s trajectory carves distinctly. The problem is that there are far too many of them.
Just a single thrust. The blade Yoo Yeon drives forward is one line, but the paths derived from it number nearly dozens.
Whip—!
I twisted my head and evaded.
‘There’s no time to think.’
Which of these is real? There’s no chance to discern it. I only twisted my body and escaped as it reached right before my face.
‘Damn.’
I’m certain now—my realm has advanced. Normally, I wouldn’t have been able to evade like this. My body felt remarkably light.
Whoosh.
Using the recoil from turning my head, I spin in a full rotation. Without hesitation, I swing my blade toward Yoo Yeon.
Clang-!!!
‘Impressive.’
Yoo Yeon retrieves her blade and defends, as though she’d anticipated it all along. The sword edges scrape against each other. Despite its worn appearance, this premier blade shows no tremor.
Slide.
The blade I’m pushing shifts its angle. Not by my will—Yoo Yeon has redirected it entirely.
The scent of flowers pierces my nostrils.
Plum Blossom Swordsmanship.
Plum Blossom Fragrant Brazier.
Crimson sword energy engulfs all directions. A full bloom of petals. My vision is completely obscured. Sensing this, I move my body.
Shiiiek-!!!
I evade the incoming blade. For a moment, my vision wavers, but—
‘Wol-an sees.’
The Wol Seon-geom path finds its way even there.
I turn my eyes while dodging the blade as it strikes repeatedly. Dense, seamless, relentless. Yoo Yeon’s blade that pierces through is fierce, yet—
‘…slow?’
Why does such a blade feel slow? Is it because I’ve reached the pinnacle? My vision and body seem clearer and faster than before.
Moreover.
Clang-!
“…!”
I even manage to twist Yoo Yeon’s blade path using a gap in between.
‘I can see it.’
I can see it.
What was invisible becomes visible. As my body quickens, I feel it.
And because of that—
‘I can do this too.’
Yoo Yeon hesitates momentarily, then swings her blade again in surprise, but—
Clang.
“…!!”
It bounces away once more.
The most striking change comes from perceiving what was imperceptible before.
‘I can see the habits.’
How much her feet move. How much her shoulders follow in response.
The shape of her nose, the feel of her gaze when she cuts horizontally.
I see it all.
“….”
Yoo Yeon’s face contorts as she observes me. Change occurs in an instant.
I unleashed my sword with the same technique, yet something was fundamentally different.
‘The habit has vanished.’
The distinctive pattern that had been so pronounced was fading. This was the work of that madman from the Peng Clan. The same thing he did—recognizing a potential weakness and immediately correcting it.
‘This is why geniuses are what they are.’
Geniuses operating on a different wavelength—that was the problem.
I bit my lip and pressed forward relentlessly.
Clang! Clang clang!!
Blade met blade again and again in rapid succession.
“….”
Yoo Yeon’s expression grew increasingly rigid. Was she shocked that I could fight at this level? Or perhaps.
‘She’s realizing she’s being pushed back.’
Was she finally recognizing that she herself was gradually losing ground?
It was likely the latter.
‘Even I didn’t expect to overwhelm her like this.’
Yoo Yeon had always been overwhelmingly powerful. Even to my eyes, she seemed like a monster, yet now that my realm had advanced somewhat, overpowering her felt almost absurd.
Of course.
‘There must be more to it than just that.’
There had to be a reason. Recalling it, I created distance between us.
“What are you doing?”
“….”
At my words, Yoo Yeon’s body stiffened.
“This isn’t a joke. What are you accomplishing with this? Are you going easy on me?”
“….”
Yoo Yeon’s eyes spoke for her. Her expression suggested that wasn’t it, but.
“This is ridiculous. You’re holding back because you’re afraid.”
“….”
“You’re terrified I’ll do something strange like last time. That I might die because of it. Isn’t that right?”
“….”
Yoo Yeon’s eyes trembled. I’d struck a nerve.
The Heavenly Killing Constellation. Whether she knew she possessed it or not, I couldn’t say. But the fear in her was unmistakable.
Knowing this, she hesitated each time she raised her blade.
Which meant.
“Stop it.”
I had to free her from that first.
“No matter what you do, I’ll win anyway.”
“….”
“You’re paralyzed by fear, and that’s why you can’t do anything. Watch.”
I grasped the Divine Blade.
I channeled my power into it.
Shiiiiiii——!!
The Wol Seon-geom’s Radiance resisted. Beautiful light transformed into pure force and erupted outward.
“You couldn’t even protect your own master, much less yourself. What gives you the right to worry about anyone else?”
“….”
The moment Seongheon’s words left my lips, Yoo Yeon’s brow twitched once more. Ah, I felt it every time I spoke—this was truly against my nature.
To scrape at someone’s cherished memories like this, using them as ammunition.
“Worry about yourself first. Even if you exhaust every option available, it won’t be enough. If you’re going to just sit there trembling in fear, what’s the point of living? At this rate, you’ll never protect anything ever again….”
I faltered.
My words died on my tongue, and I clamped my mouth shut.
Because Yoo Yeon’s presence had shifted.
Had only the atmosphere changed? No.
‘The very air….’
Even the air itself seemed to grow heavy.
[Damn it…!]
I heard Seongheon’s urgent voice.
But.
Sssssssss.
‘Oh….’
As if it were already too late, Yoo Yeon’s shadow rippled and twisted.
A chill ran down my spine. Every hair on my body stood on end.
It was the same as before. Killing intent. Murderous aura was pouring from Yoo Yeon’s very body.
Yet it wasn’t exactly the same as last time.
This time, it didn’t seem to consume all directions around her.
The problem was.
‘…I think I’ve touched something I shouldn’t have.’
Even at this level, I felt genuinely terrified.
And as if to confirm my thoughts were no mistake.
Crack——!!
“Ugh!?”
Yoo Yeon’s blade came slicing toward my throat.
I barely managed to block the strike, and in that moment, I was certain.
‘…I’m screwed.’
This was going to be considerably more difficult than I’d anticipated.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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